Maude and Sophia!
The poultry show was disappointing. We took our neighbors with us and they let us borrow their cat carrier just in case we found something. Mostly roosters and only pairs were being sold. I do NOT want or need another rooster! Met a breeder at the show and his farm was only 4 miles from the fairgrounds, so Hubby, I and our neighbors took a ride there and picked up the new girls!
When we got back home, I put the carrier inside the pen so everyone could see each other. They stayed like that all day into the evening.
This is how Charlie, Laverne and Shirley reacted to the new ones:
After supper I opened the carrier:
Not good - not good at all.... Charlie, Laverne and Shirley attacked and feathers were flying all over!
The new ones ran into the coop and hid in the last nest box. The gang went in and tried to get them out, but they stayed right there all night long.
When it was time to put the gang in for the night, they went right in and hopped up on the roost bar to go to sleep. Not a peep out any of the five.
Sunday morning I let Charlie, L&S out to eat. After an hour, I put them in the run and closed the pen gate. Maude and Sophia still didn't come out, so I went into the coop, picked them up and put them in the pen. They stayed there all day. I put extra feed and water in the run for the others. There was no fighting between the fences, so that was good. Unit night-night time.
Maude and Sophia walked into the coop around 8 o'clock and went to the end nest box. I let Charlie, Laverne and Shirley back into the pen and closed the gate. All seemed to be going well until one of the little ones stuck her head out the hatch door. Charlie saw her and the fight began. Of course L & S joined in. Only about 10 feather were lost this time. No blood. All settled down quickly though. Today we go through the same routine AGAIN until they become a flock. Charlie will be King and either Laverne or Shirley will be the Queen. That darn pecking order - necessary, but so hard to watch sometimes.
At least it will calm down after awhile. This time next month all will be well.
ReplyDeleteSo far today is the same as yesterday- keeping them apart until night time. Soooo glad there is fence between them for now!
DeleteHad no idea it would be this difficult.
ReplyDeleteThis why most people eat them instead of having them as pets.....
DeleteI had relatives that raised chickens and I have seen them gang up on other chickens. For some reason I thought it would be different with a smaller number.
ReplyDeleteSeems if they don't grow up together - there WILL be fights. The chickens in the older flock get to make the rules. Ethel and Lucy made Laverne and Shirley miserable when they were young, too.
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